All about Ms. North!!!
The reasons that I became a teacher begins with being a positive role model in the community that students, and other members of the community can look up to. I want to instil in learners the importance of knowledge and how it can bring them power in all aspects of life. Had it not been for my teachers that encouraged me to strive to be better I would not have gone as far as I did. By giving students knowledge you give them the tools needed to succeed at anything in life. Even when it comes to Basic English skills, this ability can open many doors for students coming from non-English speaking backgrounds. I have done extensive work with many ESL students and several of them did not attend the entire year. By simply attending the reading and writing workshop for a few months enabled them to fill out a job application and give them a threshold level of English needed in the work place. Seeing these members of the community succeed gave me a feeling of accomplishment in that I was a part of their success. Seeing the faces of students light up when they really get it gives me that warm feeling of satisfaction in knowing I am a part of that success as well. Many of our indigenous and less fortunate do not have any desire to learn in a standardized school setting. But as a teacher when you are able to relate content topics to life at home or cultural aspects of their lives you open the door and they want to come in. Showing them by example that they too can achieve great things if they just try.
WHAT I DID THIS SUMMER 2010
We spent the entire summer in Palo Alto, California enjoying the moderate weather and spent time with our family.